Closed
Source change captured:
McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities
Systems-change support for Canadian organizations
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Location
Canada
Overview
McConnell Foundation funding supports Canadian charities, non-profits, municipalities and other organizations working on Communities, Reconciliation and Climate. The program backs initiatives that aim for systems change, Indigenous-led solutions, climate mitigation and climate finance, as well as sector-building work that strengthens organizational capacity and networks.
Receipt of requests is now closed
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At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Reduce environmental footprint
Eligible Funding
- Varies by project
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Other Recreation and Social Clubs
- Environment
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- 100% donations / grants
Scope
- Local
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Activities funded
- Use collaborative action to bring multiple organizations together to tackle barriers to social and/or economic inclusion.
- Advance policy change that favours social justice, builds economic resilience and addresses structural barriers.
- Support regeneration – community-led solutions that enable recovery from historical harm and help rebuild more equitable futures.
- Indigenous-led solutions and Indigenous-led collaborative funding projects that advance a reconciliation economy.
- Climate mitigation solutions in Canada’s highest-emitting sectors and climate finance work, including strengthening regulatory oversight of climate-related financial risk, strategic litigation and legal strategies, and Canada’s green and transition taxonomy and related sustainable finance policies.
Documents Needed
- Budget template
Sources and recorded changes
- Source change captured
- Change recorded
- Record updated
A captured source change or record update does not confirm eligibility. Check the funder’s current rules before applying.
McConnell funding portal closes to new applications
McConnell has closed its application portal to new applications as of September 9 and added Democracy as a focus area, while some resources and office hours were removed or paused.
The For applicants and What We Fund pages now say the portal is closed to new applications as of September 9, with updates expected in early 2027, and applications received before September 9 will continue under the current review process. The program scope now includes Democracy alongside Communities, Reconciliation, and Climate, and the Sector Building stream now notes that Sector Building and Democracy are not accepting applications. The applicant pages also removed the funding guide, sample form, and orientation webinar links, and the stage-one response time is now described as within two months while stage-two due diligence is now about three months.
Program guide
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Canadian charities, non-profits and municipalities.
- Registered charities are typically supported.
- Other types of organizations may also be supported.
Who is not eligible
- For-profit organizations, except in rare & specific situations.
- Private schools.
Eligible expenses
- Project-related salaries and staffing costs
- Administration and overhead attributed to the project
- Organizational strengthening and leadership development costs
- Project-specific training and evaluation costs
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- General fundraising campaigns and funding your team to engage in fundraising.
- Reducing a capital or operating deficit, contributing to an endowment, university or hospital endowments, and annual operating funds or other recurring costs unless directly linked to one of the focus areas and the success of the proposed project.
- Partisan political activities, strictly religious purposes or activities, and purely academic research or basic research, including academic research that would otherwise be funded by Canada’s Tri-Council or related to post-secondary studies.
- Conference or event sponsorship that is not related to the focus areas and/or does not support the participation of equity-deserving and/or under-represented groups.
- The purchase of building and/or construction materials, except for the Montreal strategy; projects outside Canada; international development initiatives; projects advancing nature-based solutions such as reforestation, tree planting, nature conservation or biodiversity preservation; and organizational emergency needs.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Strategic alignment with the chosen focus area
- Potential to create significant, lasting change
- For some streams, proposals are reviewed through a two-stage process before detailed assessment
How to apply
- Enter the online portal, Fluxx, and register or log in.
- Take the short eligibility quiz when signing up for the first time.
- Complete the short-form application, including organizational information, short-form application questions and key budget numbers.
- If selected, complete the detailed application, including detailed application questions, focus area questions and a full budget.
- Submit all proposals on the portal so they may be reviewed by the team.
Processing and Agreement
- Stage 1 is a preliminary assessment and, if there is enough alignment, applicants are invited to submit a more detailed Stage 2 application.
- Most major funding proposals must first submit a short-form application and, if invited, a detailed application.
- Both are reviewed by staff before a final decision is made by our Board.
- Typically, partners submit a short progress report annually, and this triggers the next installment of their funding.
Additional information
- The Sector Building stream is currently proactive in nature only.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities Program
What is the McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities?
McConnell Foundation funding supports Canadian charities, non-profits, municipalities and other organizations working on Communities, Reconciliation and Climate. The program backs initiatives that aim for systems change, Indigenous-led solutions, climate mitigation and climate finance, as well as sector-building work that strengthens organizational capacity and networks.
Who is eligible for the McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities program?
To be eligible for the McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities program, you must:
The project must align with McConnell's funding priorities.
The work must be nationally relevant and change systems.
What expenses are eligible under McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities?
Project-related salaries and staffing costs
Administration and overhead attributed to the project
Organizational strengthening and leadership development costs
Project-specific training and evaluation costs
Who can I contact for more information about the McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities?
You can contact The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation (MCF) or by phone at 514-288-2133.
Where is the McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities available?
The McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities program is available across Canada.
Is the McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities a grant, loan, or tax credit?
McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities is a Grant and Funding
Who are the financial supporters of the McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities?
McConnell Foundation - Funding Opportunities is funded by The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation (MCF)